Why is complicated pneumonia and empyema increasing so rapidly in children?

Hot topics
Chairs: T. Schaberg (Rotenburg, Germany), F. Blasi (Milan, Italy)
Aims: The aims of this hot topic will:
• describe the changes in the epidemiology of empyema and complicated pneumonia in children over the last decade;
• explore the possible mechanisms responsible for these changes;
• consider how the introduction of the new conjugate pneumococcal vaccine may affect the incidence of these problems;
• discuss how they should be monitored and controlled.

The changing epidemiology of empyema in children D. Spencer (Newcastle-upon-Tyne, United Kingdom)
Necrotising pneumonia in children E. Kerem (Jerusalem, Israel)
Empyema in children in the USA; the possible impact of introduction of routine pneumococcal vaccination C. Byington (Salt Lake City, United States of America)